Today’s Trains – March 2, 2010

With a two-hour gap between video jobs in Houston today, it seemed like a great time to turn on the radio and see what might be out and about.

Right off the bat, I hear UP 4056 on the East Belt sub just south of Tower 87. I was able to set up at the Wallisville Road grade crossing.

UP SD70M 4056 southbound at Strutt on UP's East Belt Sub in Houston on March 2, 2010

The industry on the right appeared to be a packaging plant for drilling mud. The product arrives here in covered hoppers where it’s bagged for distribution to drilling sites.

UP 4056/9653/5183 with a train of coke destined for export from the Port of Houston

The overpass in the background is the Englewood hump lead.

The train consisted of GATX hoppers loaded with export-bound coke.

The last time I posted a shot of GATX hoppers, a reader was able to ID the train as originating at the Conoco Phillips refinery in Borger, TX, but that was a BNSF train. Any help with the symbol for this train and/or where it originated will be appreciated.

Getting back into the car, I hear TD2 (UP Terminal Sub Dispatcher 2) talking to the QEWWC  (Quality Englewood-West Colton), who was getting ready to blast off from the west end of Englewood Yard.

The QEWWC preparing to depart Englewood Yard on a sunny March 2, 2010.

A quick 10 minute drive to Bringhurst Avenue put me at the head end of the train. Two UP carmen were present to provide a roll-by inspection of the train as it departed.

Three flared-radiator EMD's on the point and 2 more as DPU's were the power for today's QEWWC

TD2 called the crew to see if they were qualified via Stella as that was the only route available at that time. The crew responded that they were, upon which TD2 said “I’ll let you go in about 10 minutes to allow a welder to clear up at T&NO Junction.”

Since I had the video camera with me and it was only 10 minutes, it seemed like a great time to set up for some video of the QEWWC departing.

10 minutes became 20 before TD2 said he was ready for the UP 8110 to depart. My patience was rewarded with a nice roll-by video.

Note the second unit firing up at 47 seconds into the video.